Long Night
by Poppy784
Summary: Really random piece of nonsense written when I couldn't sleep! The team are tired...


I do not own any of the characters (not even Bert the Hippo) - they all belong to people with a lot more pennies than me. Just playing with them.

This was written at 1:40AM in a small bout of insomnia. It's pretty much rubbish lol, but it passed some time. I was totally preoccupied with sleep!!! xxx

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A longer day was followed by a longer night as Gibbs glanced round at his team who were noticeably flagging. Knowing Tony to be on his 36th hour of working, he wondered how far behind the others were. Not too far, he'd imagined, he knew both McGee and Ziva had slept at their desks last night. The case itself was taking a lot out of them. 'OK everyone, take 20 and we'll see where we are'.

Tony was on his feet and heading for the elevator instantly, McGee hot on his heels. Ziva followed muttering about 'fresh air'. Gibbs felt the second 'b' might be showing a bit too strongly, and headed out on an errand of his own, returning exactly 20 minutes later cradling pizzas and coffee. The bullpen was not surprisingly empty, and where there should have been 3 agents there was only one. Ziva, sat a little lower in her chair than normal, her hair now pulled back from her face, and her eyes closed. Walking past her desk to drop the provisions at his own, she opened her eyes. 'Gibbs' she stated more than asked.

'Where are the others?' he asked.

'They are not here?' the question was not missed. 'Shall I help you look?'

Gibbs declined, and Ziva straightened. Gibbs knew that as soon as he was safely out of sight she'd return to her half sleep, senses trained for his next arrival. Making his way to autopsy, he nodded to Ducky who had arrived only an hour before. 'Long night I presume Jethro?'

Gibbs nodded. 'Team went walkabout Duck, seen DiNozzo or McGee?'

'You know Jethro, when I was only an Assistant M.E. I recall working alongside a fellow who ran rather a –'

'Ducky it's late' sighed Gibbs cutting him off.

'Indeed it is Jethro' began Ducky as he walked towards his office. Gibbs followed in protest, 'you know Duck I really just need to find-'

'Timothy'. This time it was Ducky who interrupted. And as he pushed the door open, Gibbs recognised the shape on the sofa as one of his AWOL agents. McGee was lying on his across Ducky's sofa, cellphone on his stomach. 'He fell asleep muttering about never being unreachable' explained Ducky, and Gibbs couldn't help but smirk. 'Wake him up will you Ducky? Think he'd appreciate it if was you doing the honours rather than me.'

'I will indeed' nodded Ducky 'dropping the second 'b' tonight Jethro?'

Gibbs laughed, heading again for the elevator. He had no doubts where DiNozzo would be. Stifling a yawn he was glad no-one witnessed, he made his way into Abby's much too silent lab. He knew she would be here. She'd called to say she was coming back in with Ducky. So where was she and where was DiNozzo? A familiar farting sound lead him to a darkened corner and he couldn't help but laugh. Laid out on the futon is his senior field agent. Tony is curled up, spooned by Abby holding him the way you would an overtired child, with Bert, the culprit hippo in his arms, no doubt an addition courtesy of Abby when he fell asleep.

'Hey Gibbs' she whispers.

'Abby' he nods at Tony 'what's with this?'

'Persuaded him to lie down for 10 minutes Bossman. He's been pushing himself too hard on this. You know that.' Gibbs nods and Tony stirs and squirms in Abby's arms. _Did he say anything_ he signs.

_Just that I had to wake him in 15 minutes _she signs back relinquishing her grip on Tony. Nodding again, Gibbs kneels down beside them, ignoring the knee pop. 'Come on sleeping beauty' he says plucking the hippo from Tony's arms and placing it back into Abby's 'Come on'.

Tony doesn't fully, wake but shakes his head and whines, and Gibbs ruffled his hair affectionately. 'Tony' he shakes him gently 'Time to wake up'. Tony turns away from the touch, and Gibbs gets ready to yell. He _really_ needs to wake him up.

_Don't even think about it Bossman_ signs Abby giving him a stare to match his own. Holding up his hands in defeat she smiles as she watches Gibbs attempt to lift Tony into a sitting position, hoping the movement will wake him. No such luck. Tony's head lolls against his shoulder and Gibbs finds himself carding a hand through the senior field agent's hair, before noticing that Tony isn't wearing any shoes. 'Where's his shoes Abs?'

She gestures to the door, and he spots them immediately. Feeling Tony grow heavier on his shoulder, he manoeuvres himself around so that he is resting against the wall with Tony under an arm, and presses his head to his shoulder. 'Five more minutes won't hurt' explains Gibbs with a smile.

Ducky checks his watch. It's been over 20 minutes since he'd returned young Mr McGee to his station. He's waited on Jethro returning with Anthony and most likely Abigail, in order to discuss their current case situations and yet he was nowhere to be seen. Timothy was now back at his desk but back to his previous dream state. He sat head down on his arms on the table, mouth open and snoring softly. Tiptoe-ing past Ziva, she too appeared to be in steady slumber as not even her highly trained Mossad reflex picked up on his stealth. Taking the elevator to Abigail's lab, Ducky found himself confused by the silence. 'Abigail' he called in a whisper. Noticing the shoes at the door, he picked them up and looked around the lab, smiling warmly to the far corner. Gibbs sat with his back against the wall, and legs stretched out ahead of him. To his left, young Anthony was curled on his side, his head and some of his body across Jethro's lap, one hand holding part of the trouser leg above Jethro's knee. He looked comforted and relaxed by the hand placed softly on his head. To the right of him, Abigail, with a firm grip of Bert was leaning against his side, in the secure grasp of his arm, her head on his shoulder and Jethro's head on hers. All three were asleep. The second 'b' really was debatable. Ducky switched the lights off as he left. After all, what was another half an hour?

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Random dross i know!! x


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